Latest news with #SouthHamsDistrictCouncil
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Seaside town ‘driving away tourists' with two-tier parking charges
Locals have criticised their seaside town's two-tiered parking charges. Beck Gordon, who owns a cafe and fishmonger in Salcombe, south Devon, claims day-trippers have stopped visiting. Owners of second homes, which make up about 60 per cent of the properties in this picturesque seaside town dubbed Chelsea-on-Sea, are already charged double council tax. But now tourists have been hit with a differential parking scheme, after the Lib Dem-led council introduced a £10-a-day parking charge. It means that while South Hams District Council is charging tourists up to £10 for a day's parking, locals can pay £5 for an annual permit that lets them use the town's car parks for £8 a day. The town is reliant on tourists and some business owners fear they will now be dissuaded from visiting, with some reporting a much quieter Easter holiday than usual. Ms Gordon said: 'It's quieter generally. The parking's definitely an issue. 'In terms of day-trippers, if you talk about more local people, they definitely don't come anymore.' She revealed it was cheaper to pay for a parking ticket a week than to use the car park. 'Sometimes you get lucky and the parking guys don't come round for one or two days so you end up with maybe two parking tickets a week – but it's cheaper to pay for one or two parking tickets a week than it is to park in the car park, which is absolutely ridiculous. 'We probably pay anywhere between £25 and £50 a week in parking tickets whereas if we parked in the car park it would cost us £70.' One cafe manager, who didn't want to be named, said she spends £120 of her wages on parking. 'It's affecting workers in the town. Because I park before 8am, I have to go for 24-hour parking at Creek car park, which is ridiculous. Yes, I can buy a parking permit, but that's so much money and I only work three days a week.' Cllr Julian Brazil, executive leader of the council's community services, said: 'We'd like to do everything to help the tourism trade and we have kept our car parking charges as competitive as possible. Residents of the South Hams can benefit from our discounted resident parking scheme. 'Many workers in Salcombe have benefited from our competitive parking permits which offer significantly lower long-term parking compared to our pay on the day rates. 'Be under no illusion, we don't want to increase prices, but this is the best choice for us under the circumstances we find ourselves in. 'Our prices have been frozen for four years, and now everyone who benefits from our public services are being asked to contribute, and that includes our visitors.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
18-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Seaside town ‘driving away tourists' with two-tier parking charges
Locals have criticised their seaside town's two-tiered parking charges. Beck Gordon, who owns a cafe and fishmonger in Salcombe, south Devon, claims day-trippers have stopped visiting. Owners of second homes, which make up about 60 per cent of the properties in this picturesque seaside town dubbed Chelsea-on-Sea, are already charged double council tax. But now tourists have been hit with a differential parking scheme, after the Lib Dem-led council introduced a £10-a-day parking charge. It means that while South Hams District Council is charging tourists up to £10 for a day's parking, locals can pay £5 for an annual permit that lets them use the town's car parks for £8 a day. The town is reliant on tourists and some business owners fear they will now be dissuaded from visiting, with some reporting a much quieter Easter holiday than usual. Ms Gordon said: 'It's quieter generally. The parking's definitely an issue. 'In terms of day-trippers, if you talk about more local people, they definitely don't come anymore.' She revealed it was cheaper to pay for a parking ticket a week than to use the car park. 'Sometimes you get lucky and the parking guys don't come round for one or two days so you end up with maybe two parking tickets a week – but it's cheaper to pay for one or two parking tickets a week than it is to park in the car park, which is absolutely ridiculous. 'We probably pay anywhere between £25 and £50 a week in parking tickets whereas if we parked in the car park it would cost us £70.' One cafe manager, who didn't want to be named, said she spends £120 of her wages on parking. 'It's affecting workers in the town. Because I park before 8am, I have to go for 24-hour parking at Creek car park, which is ridiculous. Yes, I can buy a parking permit, but that's so much money and I only work three days a week.' Cllr Julian Brazil, executive leader of the council's community services, said: 'We'd like to do everything to help the tourism trade and we have kept our car parking charges as competitive as possible. Residents of the South Hams can benefit from our discounted resident parking scheme. 'Many workers in Salcombe have benefited from our competitive parking permits which offer significantly lower long-term parking compared to our pay on the day rates. 'Be under no illusion, we don't want to increase prices, but this is the best choice for us under the circumstances we find ourselves in. 'Our prices have been frozen for four years, and now everyone who benefits from our public services are being asked to contribute, and that includes our visitors.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Car crashes into building near ferry terminal
Traffic has been redirected in Dartmouth after a car crashed into a building near the area's ferry terminal. Devon and Cornwall Police said officers attended the incident on the South Embankment at about 01:42 BST. One man has been arrested on suspicion of driving a motor vehicle whilst unfit through drink or drugs, the force said. The man remains in custody and is helping police with enquiries. Police said South Hams District Council would be dealing with the "structural safety" of the building and any traffic issues. The local authority said in a statement on X people should "drive with caution" and "traffic is being directed" around the incident. The ferry continues to operate as normal. More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Devon and Cornwall Police
BBC News
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
New fleet of electric bikes available to hire in Totnes
A new fleet of electric bikes will be available to hire in Totnes next 'Catbikes' are being introduced as part of South Hams District Council's commitment to promoting cycling. The bikes will be available from several places across the town and accessed by a mobile is hoped the bikes will provide people visiting and living in Totnes the chance to travel around the town and surrounding areas in a greener, more sustainable way. Councillor Victor Abbott, South Hams lead member for community services, operations and leisure, said: "We're absolutely delighted to be launching the Catbikes scheme. "Totnes is a town that is known for its commitment to sustainability, and this exciting project will give people living and visiting here to get around sustainably."The e-bikes are a fun way to travel, and the extra boost that you get from an e-bike should make cycling up hills and around town a breeze. When the scheme is up and running, we hope that it will encourage more people to cycle."The council will have representatives showing off the bikes at the Transition Town Totnes' Energy Wise and Eco-Homes Show at Totnes Civic Hall on Sunday, from 11:00 to 16:00 BST.
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Empty van collides with Devon Post Office
A van has collided with a post office in and Cornwall Police said officers were called to the scene at 07:45 GMT, where damage was caused to the windows and structure of the Broad Street van was unoccupied at the time, having rolled backwards into the was injured and the road was clear by 08:45, according to the force. Driver 'devastated' Steve Mullineaux, director of customer service at South Hams District Council, said: "I have been to Modbury this morning, to speak directly to those concerned in the incident. "It was an unfortunate and regrettable incident and we're really thankful that nobody was hurt."We are supporting the owner of the business to make the property safe and we are in contact with our insurers. We are also supporting our own driver who is devastated about the incident."Early investigations lead us to believe that the incident was a mechanical failure on the vehicle and we are assured it wasn't driver error."I would like to assure everyone that we take public safety very seriously and we will be carrying out a thorough internal investigation into the vehicle failure."
